Water Curtailment Order Issued for Shasta River Watershed

The State Water Board has issued a critical update to water rights holders in the Shasta River watershed. Effective immediately, all water rights with a priority date of January 1, 1958, or later must cease diversions. This decision comes as river flows have dropped below the minimum emergency flow requirement at the Yreka USGS gage.

Water rights holders with priority dates between November 25, 1912, and December 31, 1957, remain under conditional curtailment. These users must reduce their water use in order of priority to maintain a minimum flow of 50 cubic feet per second.

The order, issued on June 7, 2024, aims to address declining water levels in the Shasta River. While recent coordination efforts have improved conditions, they have not been sufficient to meet and sustain the required minimum flow.

Exceptions may be granted for minimum human health and safety needs, livestock requirements, or instream uses. Affected parties are urged to submit the necessary forms for these exceptions promptly.

This curtailment order highlights the ongoing water management challenges in the region.